Cabinet may remain in place — Sisi

CAIRO — The newly appointed Egyptian Cabinet will remain in power if the parliament due to be elected in October and November approves its agenda, President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi said on Monday.

"There is no connection between the next parliament and the government submitting its resignation, a lot of people think that but it is not true," Sisi said in a speech at a military parade marking the anniversary of Egypt's 1973 war with Israel.

"The government at the time will present a programme, if parliament votes for it, the government will remain in order to implement it, if not, a new government will be presented."

Sisi had sworn in a new government in September with the outgoing oil minister Sherif Ismail as prime minister. He kept the defence, foreign, interior and most economy-related ministers in place and appointed 16 new ministers.

Egypt holds a long-awaited parliamentary election in October and the new chamber will have a say over the government and can even reject Sisi's choice for prime minister, according to the country's constitution.

But Sisi's critics say that in reality it will be a rubber-stamp house because of a tough crackdown on his critics and a weak opposition.